Snow causes construction delays

AUSTIN, MN — Skid-loaders and dump trucks are being replaced by snowplows. The snow is causing problems with area construction projects.

One of the delays is coming on some major construction on Interstate 90 through Austin, but MnDOT is also set to get some projects going on Monday.

Leaders say they are not too concerned with how long these projects will be pushed back.

“We put in weather delays, that way there’s some cushion that we have with the completion dates that are weather related. Granted, typically we only put those in to the contracts, we anticipate that to be things like rain and not snow,” said MnDOT Spokesperson Kristin Kammueller.

She said there is not too much of a difference between the two however.

“The biggest difference between the rain and the snow is that if we have snow we might have the temperatures that are too cold for them to do some of the paving work. That’s where we’ll have a different kind of impact, as with rain it’s usually warm enough where it’s just wet,” Kammueller said.

MnDOT will be putting the I-90 project on hold until the snow stops and temperatures get warm enough. They cannot do the construction if temps get below freezing at night.